5 best phones for health and fitness

Mobile phones are fast becoming a surprisingly good sport accessory - and not just for ringing someone for a lift home after you’ve jogged out to the middle of nowhere.

There are plenty of apps out there to track your progress, and
even the most basic smartphones have features like motion sensors
that can act as a pedometer. But which phones are best for fitness
freaks? We've taken a look at which ones have some of the best
sporting essentials: durability, in-built apps, motion sensors,
heart rate monitors, accessories, and more. Here are our favourites
- and some of the best
contract deals for each one.

iPhone 7

When iOS 8 was launched, Apple made a big fuss about its Health
app. And in all fairness, it has some of the most comprehensive
fitness data: calories burned, minutes of exercise, heart rate,
blood sugar levels, cholesterol… along with some bizarrely complex
data points like your vitamin B intake. It means you'll need to
input a lot of info to get a full picture of your health - which a
lot of fitness fans have criticised - but if there's anything
at all you want to track, the option is almost certainly
there.

In terms of hardware, the iPhone 7 has got everything you could
want for tracking exercise. The pedometer counts how many steps you
walk, the barometer can tell you how many flights of stairs those
steps were taken on, and the GPS logs how far you went on your run.
If all that's not enough, you can link it up to an Apple Watch for
even more precise data.

And fitness aside, the iPhone 7 is a darn good phone, with a
stunning design and top-notch tech. Any iPhone will come with Apple
Health so you're free to take your pick - but if you want an
amazing mobile that just happens to be good for fitness too, the 7
is the way to go.

iPhone 5s

Getting the latest flagship iPhone can be costly. The 5s, on the
other hand, is far less expensive - but still comes with all the
fitness perks you could need.

In fact, it's even got a few advantages over a hefty iPhone 7.
With a four-inch screen, its smaller size means it's more portable,
and can be used with sport accessories like an armband that straps
it to you while you run. That way you'll get more accurate readings
on the Health app without having to stuff the phone in the pockets
of your sportswear (or splash out on a Watch).

And it still has all the fitness-friendly features you could
need: a durable Gorilla Glass display, motion detectors to power
the pedometer, and GPS to track where you've been running.

Samsung Galaxy S8

Prefer Android over Apple, but don't want to compromise on
quality? Have a gander at the Galaxy S8 - and Samsung's own health
and fitness app, S Health.

S Health may not have data that's as in-depth as Apple Health,
but it's been hailed as one of the best fitness apps out there.
There's the usual calorie counter, pedometer, and sleep tracker,
along with an 'Exercise' feature that tracks your route when you're
on a run, walk, cycle, hike, or work out - though this app's got
some extras up its sleeve too.

As with all of Samsung's Galaxy range, there's a heart rate
monitor stuck on the back of the phone, so you can see what your
ticker's doing without strapping on a chest monitor.

And for logging your diet, there's a comprehensive nutrition
diary, with a huge library of foods to select, so you can get a
pretty accurate picture of your intake. Put everything together -
food, sleep, exercise, even stress levels - and S Health will give
you an overall 'Lifestyle Score' to let you know how you're
doing.

Like the iPhone 7, the Galaxy S8 is simply a fantastic phone:
huge 5.8-inch QHD screen, octa-core processors, and impressive
software. It's also compatible with loads of wearables, such as the
Samsung Gear Fit - which is cheaper and more lightweight than the
Apple Watch, by the way, and will automatically input your data
into S Health for you.

Microsoft Lumia 950

For a phone that can handle fitness on a budget, look to the
Lumia range. The 950 is one of our favourites, as it manages to
give you a pretty darn good mobile experience without breaking the
bank.

It's ideal to lug around on a run with you, thanks to its
durability: there's a Corning Gorilla Glass screen that won't break
easily, and the luminous plastic case isn't going to snap off any
time soon. And with a 5.2-inch display, it's juuuust small enough
to slip in your pocket.

The health apps available on Windows
Phones aren't half bad either. Microsoft Health boasts a
wonderfully easy-to-use interface that can track your daily steps,
calories burned, and sleep quality. There's also a great Guided
Workouts feature to direct your exercise if you're sporting a
Microsoft Band. Even if you're not, SensorCore tech has been
included in the 950, which can track motion to power things like
the pedometer.

Sony Xperia Z5 Compact

More concerned about having a hardy handset than snazzy fitness
software? The Xperia Z5 Compact may be for you. Its body is
completely water and dust resistant, so it's a great companion for
all your sporting endeavours - whether you're biking through mud in
the rain, or kicking up dust on a run. Teamed with the shatterproof
glass display, this is a phone that won't let you down.

Since the Z5 Compact is a bit smaller than a regular Z5, it's
more portable too, and it's got an impressive battery life that can
easily last two days on one charge.

There aren't, however, any fitness apps included as standard
from Sony - you'll need to nab one from the Google Play Store.
Luckily the Z5 Compact is rocking all the features to make them
work, including motion sensors, GPS, a barometer, and compatibility
with Android Wear.

This website uses "cookies" to give you the best experience and to make it function correctly. To learn more about cookies and their benefits, please read our Cookie policy. Using this website means you consent to their use but you can change your cookie settings at any time by following this link.

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.